What Planners Get Wrong About Event Entertainment in 2025 with Patrick McGannon of PM GIGS Inc.

What’s the fastest way to kill a great show? Poor planning around entertainment.

You booked a killer band. But did you think about sound check? Rider updates? That mic for your CEO’s speech?

In this episode of Production Value Matters, host Matthew Byrne is joined by Patrick McGannon, founder of PM GIGS, to unpack the real challenges and opportunities in booking live entertainment for business events.

Pat brings a dual perspective—seasoned performer and production-savvy agency owner—and shares candid insights on what’s changed in the entertainment landscape since the pandemic. From last-minute RFP chaos to misaligned expectations around sound and stage logistics, Pat and Matthew explore what producers often get wrong—and how to do it right.

This episode is a must-listen for producers, planners, and performers alike who want to create seamless, high-impact experiences through entertainment that truly lands with the audience.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why compressed proposal timelines are the new normal—and how to manage them
• What event producers often overlook when booking entertainment
• How talent vetting and rider management can make or break a show
• Why collaboration across AV, staging, and entertainment matters more than ever
• How entertainment is evolving alongside technology, rigging, and audience expectations
• The future of events in Calgary—and what it means for Canada’s event landscape
• Advice for performers entering the business market of events

Patrick McGannon is the founder of PM GIGS, a Calgary-based entertainment and production agency. A 25-year industry veteran and award-winning producer, Pat blends his firsthand stage experience with logistical expertise to deliver seamless entertainment experiences for conferences, festivals, and corporate clients across Canada.

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Follow Matthew Byrne on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/matthewbyrnecsep

Follow Patrick on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-mcgannon-106b9526/

For additional resources for #eventprofs visit www.productionvaluematters.com

For additional resources for #eventprofs visit www.productionvaluematters.com

Check out our 3 most downloaded episodes:

• Measuring Value in Your Events: Insights from Jodi Collen
• Educating Clients and Managing Expectations in Event Production with Fransiska Weckesser
• The Intersection of Event Planning and Psychology with Victoria Matey

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